PARIS (AP) — A gameplan perfectly suited to disrupting South Africa in rainy conditions was two minutes away from lifting England into the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday.
The English just couldn’t hold up their last scrums, however, and a last-gasp penalty kick by South Africa’s Handre Pollard doomed them to a 16-15 defeat at Stade de France.
England never looked like scoring a try but four penalties and a drop goal by captain Owen Farrell had them leading from the third minute until the 78th.
“We came here with a plan to win the game. We fell short, only a little bit but we fell short,” England coach Steve Borthwick said. “My players were incredibly well led by Owen. They showed what it means to play for England, they played their hearts out.”
The World Cup holders ran down England with a converted try and late penalty on the back of four consecutive overpowering scrums.
“They found the way to gain the advantage around the scrum and that gave them the field position,” Borthwick said.
Until then, England’s plan to rain bombs on the Springboks and turn them around with grubber kicks and touch-finders worked brilliantly in the conditions. Freddie Steward, restored to fullback knowing what was coming from South Africa, showed his proven ability under a high and slippery ball.
The decision to start loosehead prop Joe Marler beside tighthead Dan Cole was also inspired. Both of them came off the bench in the 2019 World Cup final in Yokohama, where England was hammered up front by South Africa. Both props were brought back by Borthwick when he took over as coach last December, and they ensured England’s scrum was uncompromising until they were replaced after nearly an hour.
George Martin, the lock playing his ninth test, was another standout, matching partner Maro Itoje with nine tackles and a turnover.
The English played the semifinal the same way they began their tournament on Sept. 9 in hot and sweaty Marseille against Argentina: Obdurate, gritty and strong in the contact zones.
“They were written off before the World Cup. Coach Steve and Owen and the team pulled themselves together and showed who they are,” South Africa captain Siya Kolisi said. “They are not a team you take lightly, all credit to them … England was never going to lie down and let us roll over them.”
In the teeming rain of late October, England got in South Africa’s faces at the breakdown, its physicality unsettling the Boks and forcing them into sloppy mistakes.
“I thought they were outstanding on the night,” South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber said. “They had us under a lot pressure and it took something special to unlock their defense to get a try to get us back in the game.”
It looked like another against-the-odds victory could be on for Borthwick’s side. But suddenly forced to chase the win at the end, England had both of its snipers — Farrell and George Ford — on the field for a drop goal or a penalty kick but the chance never came.
Ultimately, England’s two best performances of the tournament — against the Pumas and Springboks — featured no tries.
Borthwick will deserve credit for getting the best out of a limited side in trying conditions.
“We had seven players (aged) 25 or under today, that’s the most of any semifinalist. South Africa had one,” Borthwick said. “This is a really talented group from the experienced to the not-so-experienced. They are very disappointed today, but we’ll reflect on that, find what we have to do better.”
But oh-so-close England has only one try in six World Cup matches against the Springboks — and one win — and will return to Stade de France on Friday to fight Argentina for third place.
“I’m sat here disappointed but unbelievably proud of what this team’s done,” Farrell said. “We were showing what we were capable of.”
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